Journal of Academic Development and Education JADE Issue 11 Summer 2019 | Page 30

difficult and sensitive sort of interaction between students becomes increasingly important. This case study examines a module that uses student debates as a means of exploring American politics. The module sets out a series of controversial topics in US politics and then structures classes around individual student debates and discussion. The format is unique in that the instructor doesn’t do anything except oversee the discussion, which are entirely student led. The presentation summarises the structure of the module, looks at student feedback, and analyses how the debate format compares to traditional essays in terms of student grades. The grades are used to analyse how the debate format affects students differently in terms of inequalities across particular groups, including gender, ethnicity and nationality. The analysis provides some evidence about whether or not this format has any particular positive or negative impacts on student achievement. Midwifery forum: Collegiate working for the good of all * Heather Ingram ([email protected]) Abstract: A different approach to listening and responding to the student voice has been a key theme on the midwifery programme for 18 months particularly reflecting the generational differences and needs of Gen Y & Z ( Jones, Ingram & Mustafa, 2017). With the aims of enabling students to have greater involvement in contributing to and understanding programme decisions and being able to shape and influence decisions about their programme of study to support greater performance, satisfaction and growth, the forum was launched in academic year 2017/18. Student engagement is central in delivering and providing effective educational programmes (HEA, 2012a). Involving students in decision-making has also been identified as key to shaping the student learning experience and promoting a higher quality learning experience for students (HEA, 2012b). With a multi-stakeholder 30  membership, three programme specific meetings have taken place per academic year complementing the existing school staff student voice committee for representing the student voice. Greater closer academic and student partnerships have developed and more buy in with collaborative projects. The presentation discusses the set up and issues arising from evaluation. Dawdling and doodling: a walking-reading/walking- writing group * Ceri Morgan ([email protected]) Abstract: This presentation aims to demonstrate how creative writing can be used as method as well as practice to foster co-production of a variety of forms of knowledge. It showcases some of the recent work undertaken by the Dawdlers, a walking-reading, walking-writing group I founded at Keele in August 2017. Events include a geopoetics (walking and creative practice) workshop at Silverdale Country Park in 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster, an exhibition of materials produced during and after the workshop at Silverdale Community Library in 2017, and a show entitled Seams, performed at Keele Chapel in June 2018. Seams was devised in collaboration with immersive performance company, Restoke. All activities and outputs came out of research-practice collaboration between academic staff, postgraduate and undergraduate students, and non-HEI community participants. The Dawdlers are currently working on the first of a series of community walks, which will be carried out in the Longport-Middleport area in Spring 2019, in collaboration with visual artist, Nicola Winstanley.